Demaryius Thomas, the former Denver Broncos wide receiver who died in 2021 at the age of 33 after suffering a seizure, was remembered on Sunday, October 19, with one of the highest honors in team history.
According to The Associated Press, the Broncos officially unveiled his pillar in the team’s Ring of Fame Plaza at Empower Field at Mile High, paying tribute to the late star during a ceremony held before Denver’s game against the New York Giants.
The event coincided with alumni weekend, which also featured the 10-year reunion of the Broncos’ Super Bowl 50 championship team—a team Thomas helped lead to victory. His family, former teammates, and coaches were on hand to witness the tribute.
Thomas’ mother, Katina Smith, grew emotional as she reached out to touch her son’s bronze likeness on the newly revealed pillar. “That smile took me through some very hard times,” she said through tears. “This right here, it’s like he’s still here with us today and in our hearts. So, he lives on through all of us and through all the community and his fans.”
Former Broncos coach Gary Kubiak echoed those sentiments, remembering how Thomas’ personality lifted people during difficult stretches in the NFL.
“The NFL’s tough. A lot of games, a lot of ups and downs, so you have some rough days,” Kubiak said. “And D.T. could always catch you as a coach when you had a rough day and make you smile again and make you feel good. D.T.’s just a tremendous person, tremendous player.”
Hall of Famer Peyton Manning, whose own Ring of Fame pillar now stands beside Thomas’, shared how important Thomas was to his time in Denver.
“When all of y’all asked me what’s the main reason you came to Denver, I’m not sure I gave you all of the honest answers back in 2012,” Manning admitted. “But Demaryius Thomas was a big reason for it because I never played with a receiver quite like him.” Manning went on to describe Thomas as “every bit as good a human being as he was a player.”
DeMarcus Ware, another Super Bowl 50 teammate, reflected on the peace he felt when seeing Thomas’ image on the plaza. “I saw that angel-like mentality, that peace that everybody wants to have in their lives and I just wanted to pray for everybody ... because that’s what D.T. would have done,” Ware said.
Thomas’ father, Bobby Thomas, called the moment “beautiful” and expressed hope that more recognition would follow, including induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.